Collapsible rack.



PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

M. GONNARD. GOLLAPSIBLE RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1904.

Q vivimwoco Patented March '7, 1905.

h IILTON A. CONNARD, OF DEUA"UR, ILLINOIS.

UQLLAFSIBLE FIACZK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,035, dated March '7, 1905.

Application filed March 30, 1904. Serial No. 200,753.

To (Li Z whom it 'nmg concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON A. CONNARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Racks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.-

This invention relates to an improvement in a collapsible rack for holding account-books; and the object of my invention is to provide a rack of this character in which accountbooks of a uniform size can be kept and the printed matter on the upper end of all of said books be visible at all times.

In the drawings, wherein a preferable embodimentof my invention is sl1own,and wherein like letters of reference refer to similar parts in the severalviews, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved rack in its extended position. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same in its closed position, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the rack in its extended position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the rack comprises a plurality of thin metal plates or partitions A, which have their ends bent at right angles to form the ilanges a. Each of the flanges a is provided with three apertures therein, one near the lower end of the flange, another-near the u pper end of the flange, and a third intermediate the first-mentioned two. Journaled in the apertures oi the flanges a of each of the plates A are the rods 6, the extremities of which pro ject slightly beyond the flanges a. The partitions are jointed together by means of levers B, each one of which is pivotally secured at its upper end to the projecting end of the uppermost rod in one of the partitions, at its center to the projecting end of center rod of the next partition, and at its lower end to the projecting end of the lowermost rod of the next partition, and by the short levers C, of which there are four, two of which are pivotally connected at their ends with the projecting end of the central rod of one of the end partitions and the projecting end of the lowermost rod of the next adjacent partition and two of which are pivotally connected at their ends with the projecting end of the central rod of the other end partition and the projecting end of the topmost rod of the adjacent partition.

Instead of the particular construction of levers B and (1 any suitable'lorm of lazy-tongs or other connection which will permit the parts to fold may be used to connect the partitions A. Each of the partition-plates A is provided near its lower edge with a narrow transverse slot (1., extending almost across the entire body of the partitioirplatc.

l) is a strip 01 fabric or other Ilexible material which extends through the slots (/7 in the partitions A and has its ends secured in any suitable manner to the end partitions. prel'er ably by bringing the projecting ends of the fabric around under the lower edges of the end partition and securing them by stitching or otherwise to the body of the strip. The strip l) is of such a width that it completely lills the slots rt and cl such a length that when the rack is extended it will be drawn taut, thereby forming a bottom for the same.

Although I may make my rack just wide enough to receive a singleaccount-book, I preicr to make it wide enough to hold several and to divide it into compartments, each wide enough to receive a single book. I do this by means oi the longitudinally-disposed cords It, which pass through apertures in the upper portion of the partition-plates A and which have their ends secured in any suitable mannor to the end 1)artition-plates. The cords it are of such a length that when the rack is in its extended position they will be drawn taut. l/Vhile in the drawings accompanying this specification 1 have shown but two such cords, it is obvious that as many may be used as it is desired to have con'ipartments.

The last partition-plate is provided with a pair of projecting eyes, by which the rack is suspended from hooks u. on the wall or other suitable place. When the rack is so suspended and is drawn out to its extended position, the last partition-plate will lie flat against the wall and the other iiartition-plates will lie parallel, but with each partition-plate a little lower than the one preceding it, so that the bottom I) slopes from the upper partition-plate down.

It will therefore be seen that if a number of account-books are placed in any one of the compartments of the rack they will be supported by the inclined bottom D in such a manner that the printed matter on the tops of all of the hooks will be at all times visible. I prefer to suspend my rack from a wall adjacent a shelf, so that the lower edge of the lowermost partition-plate will rest on the shelf when the shelf is extended.

It will be readily seen thatinasmnch as the bottom D and the division-cords E are both flexible they in no way interfere with the collapsing of the rack. I

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise form and construction shown in the drawings,

as it is obvious that many minor changes might be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A collapsible rack comprising a plurality of partition-plates, a connection between said partition-plates whereby they may be either folded up or extended, and a flexible bottom connected to all of said plates.

2. A collapsible rack comprising a plurality of partition-plates a flexible bottom connecting said partitions and a flexible cord connecting the upper portions of said partitions.

3. A rack, comprising a plurality of partition-plates a toggle connection between said partition-plates whereby they may be either folded up or extended, and a flexible bottom connected to all of said partition-plates.

4. A rack, comprising a plurality of partition-plates, a toggle connection between said partition-plates, a flexible bottom connected to all of said partition-plates, and a flexible cord connected to the upper ends of all of said plates.

5. A rack, comprising a plurality of partition-plates provided with narrow transverse slots near their lower edges, a toggle connection between said partition-plates, and a flexible bottom passing through the slots in all of the partition-plates and having its ends secured to the end plates.

6. A rack, comprising a plurality of partition-plates provided with narrow transverse slots near their lower edges, a toggle connection between said partition-plates, a flexible bottom passing through the slots in all of the partition-plates and having its ends secured to the end plates, and a flexible cord connected to the upper ends of all of said plates.

7. A rack comprising a plurality of partitionplates, a toggle connection between said plates, a flexible bottom connecting all of said plates and means for suspending the rack.

8. A rack comprising a plurality of partition-plates provided with narrow transverse slots near their lower edges, a connection between said partition-plates whereby they may be either folded up or extended, and a flexible bottom passing through the slots in all of the partition-plates an d having its ends connected to the end plates.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MiL'roN A. coNNARo.

WVitncsses:

K. R. STAHL, Gno. S. Coxmm). 

